conworldfandomcom-20200222-history
Great Han Empire
This country is a part of Altverse. |common_name = Hani |image_flag = Haniflag.png |image_coat = Hanicoa.png |motto = Tchaplak na Kiakgian ("Sixteen Maxims") |national_anthem = Taiguoai ("Great Patriotic Hymn") |royal_anthem = |image_map = Haniorthographic.png |image_map2 = |alt_map2 = |map_caption2 = |capital = Hanyang |largest_city = capital |largest_settlement_type = city |official_languages = Han varieties, Sierran |religion = (majority), , , |demonym = Han |government_type = |leader_title1 = Empress |leader_name1 = Li Meiyu |leader_title2 = Prime Minister |leader_name2 = Zhang Shidao |legislature = National Diet |upper_house = Senate |lower_house = People's Assembly |sovereignty_type = Independence |sovereignty_note = from Sierra |established_event1 = Declared |established_date1 = December 8th, 1941 |established_event2 = Recognized |established_date2 = February 2nd, 1944 |established_event3 = Han Civil War |established_date3 = September 2nd, 1946 to July 4th, 1949 |established_event4 = Current constitution |established_date4 = February 2nd, 1987 |area_rank = 71st |area_km2 = 337,900 |percent_water = 0.6 |area_label = Total |population_estimate = 152,503,933 |population_estimate_rank = 8th |population_estimate_year = 2017 |population_census = 151,523,040 |population_census_rank = 8th |population_census_year = 2015 |population_density_km2 = 271.4 |population_density_rank = 23rd |GDP_PPP = $7.326 trillion |GDP_PPP_rank = 3rd |GDP_PPP_year = 2017 |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $48,040 |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = |GDP_nominal = $5.405 trillion |GDP_nominal_rank = 3rd |GDP_nominal_year = 2017 |GDP_nominal_per_capita = $35,448 |GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = |Gini = 33.8 |Gini_change = decrease |Gini_rank = |Gini_year = 2017 |HDI_year = 2017 |HDI = 0.901 |HDI_change = increase |HDI_rank = 15th |currency = Han Qian (钱 or ¢) |currency_code = HNC |time_zone = |utc_offset = +8 |date_format = mm-dd-yyyy |drives_on = right |cctld = |iso3166code = PH |calling_code = |patron_saint = }}The Great Han Empire (大華帝國; Tai Handziguo), commonly just referred to as Hani (大華; Tai Han), is an insular nation located in East Asia. A , it exercises tight jurisdiction over a total of twenty subdivisions; sixteen provinces, two special autonomous regions, one special municipality, and one special territory. It can be split into three major island groups (each called , , ); collectively straddling the westernmost extremities of the and stretching from the to the north, the to the south, the to the west, and the to the east. Housing a total of 158 million residents distributed among an area of approximately 300,000 km2 (or 120,000 sq mi), it is the seventy-first and eight-largest country area-wise and population-wise, respectively. It shares maritime borders with South Vietnam and North Vietnam, and Hainan to the west; Tanjung to the south-west; Akitsu to the north; and to the south. The metatarsal of the is the oldest known human remnant within the islands carbon-dated to 67,000 BC, predating the (which previously held the title) by 40,000 years. In 4,000 BC, originating from , absorbing the earlier arrivals, with other displaced populations moving upland (precursors of the and the ). By at least third century, various and lowland (known as " ") emerged. Eventually, these formed the basis of the , a decentralized system of governance in which vassals pledged allegiance to suzerains in-exchange for autonomy in internal affairs. The adoption and usage of introduced advanced agricultural techniques including , , and , coupled with the abundance of rich arable land facilitated a population explosion and the settlement of the islands. Since then, many barangay established codified laws and forged extensive trading relations with each other and overseas polities; with some eventually amassing substantial wealth or adopting foreign cultures. The Lakanate of Tondo is regarded as its direct precursor; and by the fifteenth century, through a period of brute conquest, it exercised jurisdiction and influence over much of Lusong. It secured multiple with China under the guise of a tributary relationship, thus receiving a virtual monopoly on the re-distribution of Chinese products, therefore amassing a exceedingly-high level of wealth and forging extensive overseas trading relations. Victories in the Battle of Manila, the First and Second Castillian Wars, and the Manila Bay Incident all reinforced its territorial legitimacy from adversaries jealous of this monopoly, eventually incorporating much of the archipelago under its suzerainty through vassalization, while directly-annexing several territorial acquisitions. The arrival of nearing two million en-masse during the of China initially destabilized the country; introducing minor bouts of plague (mainly cholera, diarrhoea, and other intestinal diseases) and polarizing the imperial court. The invasion of in 1662 led to two decades of foreign rule, while the Lakandula was initially kept as a figurehead (retaining their titles but stripped of actual authority), the in 1683 prompted the to install itself and dissolve the Lakandula. The meticulously-planned Maharlika Conspiracy oversaw their dethronement, only to result in a period of socio-political disorder and instability stemming from an absence of a central binding authority. However, the House of Li, a branch of the now-defunct Lakandula, seizing the throne and proclaiming the Southern Han dynasty. Centralization was achieved through abolishing the Kedatuan-style of governance, curtailing much of the aristocratic prerogative and inheritance in-favour of and a system of contracted servitude and land lease. Through the Ten Great Campaigns, various ambitious projects were implemented including; the promotion of , the , and and (as the and court/administrative language, respectively). It cultivated an extensive trading relation with the West, shipping vast quantities of luxury goods (including silk, porcelain and gold-based jewelries) to Western markets; enabling an influx of silver which underpinned a previously baseless economy and stimulating internal commerce. Following British victory in the , the Sarado policy was implemented, earning the country the nickname the " ". However, rife intermarriage between commoners and aristocrats led to a disproportionately-sized elite due in-part to the ramifications of enforced patrilineal succession, which led to political strife and an inefficient corrupt administration. Regionalist and separatist movements culminated in the eight year-long Lingayen Rebellion in the 1850s, with the Han-Spanish Treaty of Amity marking a series of and economic exploitation by the West. A brief period of self-pursued modernization efforts preceded the eventual annexation of Hani under Sierra following the Han–Sierran War. While experiencing economic revival and industrialization, the emergence of nationalism and separatism during the led to the formation of the Nationalist Party, which became the ruling party following Japanese occupation. After suppressing various leftist revolts, and the reinstitution of a strict isolationist policy (pivoting to the ) to counterbalance American influence, the Fuxing Restoration marked the revival of cordial diplomatic relations with the West. The Heavy Industrial Drive, pioneered by Zhang Shuying, kickstarted an economic boom which through massive inflows of foreign capital; equating to exponential growth and rapid ascension to developed status. Pressures left by political instability during the latter half of the eighties and the , led to various liberal reforms which resulted in its current government today. Hani currently ranks first on the within Asia. Having a highly educated and skilled workforce, it wields the world's third-largest economy when measured in (in both and ). It has the world's and . Additionally, it also ranks highly on and on the . It is an influential member of numerous key organizations; it is recognized as a major , an emergent , and a . Etymology Hans refer to the country as Tai Han (大華). However, this is simply a contracted form, used for informal occasions, with the full term being Tai Han Dziguo (大華帝國). This emanates from the word Han (華), originally pronounced Hua, and refers to the state of being "civilized" rather than being Chinese. Originally, the pronunciations of the two terms fused in order to delegitimize the claim of the Manchus on the Chinese throne and on their claimed status as "civilized", by popularizing the notion that the Qing dynasty is Manchu and thus illegitimate. In the West, historically, it was referred to as Luçon, after the Spanish pronunciation of the word Lǚsòng (吕宋), which then comes from the Tagalog term Lusong (meaning "rice mortar"). However, the modern term Hani itself originated as a portmanteau Han and the suffix -i. History Prehistory :Main article: The earliest evidence of human habitation is the 67,000-year-old of the in the northeast Gaya governorate, and the . However, the most widely accepted hypothesis on the peopling of the islands is the , which hypothesizes that Austronesians from Taiwan (which themselves are descended from the neolithic cultures of the , such as the ) began pouring into the islands starting 4000 BC–replacing and absorbing earlier arrivals. The first known culture was the Batangas jade culture; whose presence was evident by exquisitely crafted jade artifacts. Other early cultures include the precursors of the Ifugao and Igorot peoples, who built the . sites were abundant in artefacts based on ; as typified by axes, swords, spearheads, knives and sickles. In contrast, much of the region was still using . An extensive trade network was also shown, as Sa Huỳnh beads were made of materials not found in the region, indicating they were imported. This culture also lived in the area now comprising South Vietnam (specifically the ), and may have been ancestral to the . Prehistoric Hans were split into four distinct groupings. The first were agricultural residing in the mountains, hills hunter-gatherer tribes, and warrior societies that had a strict and practiced . The fourth and most important group were maritime societies that partook in trans–island trade. Early foreign accounts described the chiefdoms of the islands as being extremely skilled in , and highly competent as farmers, practicing and engaging in . An abundance of fowl, grains, honey, among other products, was noted. Formation of barangay By at least the third century, chiefdoms organized themselves into barangay–small political units headed by a datu (chief), who was in turn, subordinate to the rajah (king), who headed the entire city-state. Each barangay typically consisted of a hundred families, with some of the largest reaching thousands of people. They typically straddled the fertile river valleys and coasts. Transmitted via trade, many adopted – culture. By the ninth century, these maritime city-states had grown to become competing kingdoms. Some of these thalassocracies are briefly subjugated as of greater regional powers such as , and , and as the of the and the . Early Tondo As revealed by the , which was written in the script, Tondo as a centralized state existed as far back the ninth century (at the very least). However numerous barangay agglomerations have been found dating back a thousand years prior to that point. Tondo was observed to be a fairly sophisticated society, headed by an aristocratic elite adhering to either Hinduism or Buddhism (which the commoners remained animist). Due to the high rates of illiteracy, which ran rampant until the promulgation of the simple script in the thirteenth century, there were few historical documents from early Tondo, with most sources coming from few archaeological texts, Spanish chronicles, and early recorded contacts with Chinese, Japanese, and Muslim merchants. Despite being a city-state, Tondo still experienced favourable overseas trading relations, agricultural products (fowl, ricewine, beeswax) and pottery. Tagalog clay vessels were not renowned for only decorative purposes, but were also tea canisters greatly enhancing the fermentation process. This made it highly valuable, especially in Japan. Over time, Tondo exerted more influence over the barangay of the island, which was called Lusong (called Luçon by Westerners) after the Tagalog term for "rice mortar". The thirteenth century, under Rajah Alon, oversaw the territorial acquisition of the lands both to the north to the south, subjugating settlements under a type relationship. However, Majapahit itself also briefly asserted over Tondo, rendering it a , which ended upon a Tondoese victory in the in 1365. In 1371, Tondo opened tributary relations with the Ming, monopolizing on regional trading routes via the ("maritime prohibition") policy. It also participated in the maritime segment of the network, establishing trading links to India, Arabia, Indochina, Japan, and the rest of the Malay archipelago. In 1450, under Queen , Tondo created a with the neighbouring , with becoming the joint-ruler. It also partnered with Brunei to further secure its special relationship with the Ming. Due to political stability, the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries oversaw its apogee, becoming the predominant power of the region, intervening in the (1547–49) and coming into contact with Portuguese sailors. Reformation In 1500, Brunei under Sultan Bolkiah attempted conquer Tondo, seeking to inherit its trade monopoly and to incorporate it via personal union. While it was not successful, it caused Dayang Kalangitan to relinquish her control over the throne, instead instituting Salilah as the new Lakan. Under his tenure, Tondo implemented a total ban on Muslim proselytization and organized missionary activities. Many aristocrats following the faith were forcibly reconverted. Furthermore, Tondo reaffirmed its tributary status and its previously-forged preferential trading agreements with China. Through these tributary missions, he realized that a more-coordinated whim over all available national resources is needed in order to establish a more organized and cohesive state. Utilizing knowledge acquired from envoys arriving from China, he institutionalized a more solid government, as until that point, the government was quite weak and unorganized, heavily relying on loyalist vassals. Despite these efforts at centralization, it still remained a Kedatuan, relying on aristocrats known as datus to administer barangay, which had a status equivalent to that of provinces or municipalities (depending on their size). However this time, they were taxed more and had to abide and reinforced codified laws designated by the central government. In addition to these, a centralized legislative body was made, comprising of appointed officials which had close familial ties to the Lakandula (the ruling family). Under a now powerful government, it implemented and enforced various reforms, including a codified system of law, tax reforms, the adoption of the Three Departments and Six Ministries and national census, and a larger well-equipped permanent standing army and navy (previously relying on paid mercenaries). Heavy emphasis was especially placed upon naval expansion; Chinese warships were adopted and about two dozen of them were built, though the bulk of navy (which hovered at a total of two hundred permanent vessels) still remained of the modest-quality karakao and balangay-class. All of these were equipped with basic naval artillery, and soldiers and sailors alike were handed match-lock rifles, which replaced hand cannons as the primary gunpowder weapon used. Tondo utilized its growing naval capabilities to forcibly subjugate its chief southern rivals; Madja-as and Sugbu, via gunboat diplomacy. While the two nation's monarchs (which were referred to as Rajahs, instead of Lakan), retained autonomy over internal affairs under the role of a subordinate vassal, Tondo assumed the control of much of their navies and left a skeleton force of a hundred vessels. Initially, in-response to continuous threats of a follow-up Moro punitive expedition, Tondo, Maynila, and Namayan (the three most important settlements of the Manila Bay) were all fortified. However, now-exploiting a now fairly-extensive naval force, it adopted a more hostile approach to the Moro settlements to the south, especially in Ma-i, whose elite began rapid Islamicization. In 1520, Tondo managed to liberate Ma-i and coerce Butuan into submission, now acquiring a base to obstruct Bruneian ambitions and a foothold in Mindanao, where Moro colonization efforts were concentrated. Spanish contact While Spanish conquistadors arrived in the islands considerably earlier, first 1521 under Ferdinand Magellan and multiple other expeditions known to the Tondoese government occurring subsequently, proper bilateral relations had not be established in 1565, upon the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and the establishment of a permanent colonial capital in Davao. Both shared common interests; both seeking to contain Brunei and establishing a mutually-beneficial trading relationship in which Spain could acquire Chinese goods while Tondo could standardize silver as its currency (rather than gold ingots and bracelets, which were more expensive to mine). In response to this cordial relationship, Brunei strengthened its colonization efforts, sending settlers to colonize what was otherwise a sparsely-populated heathen territory. In 1568, the First Castillian War occured, with Spain and Tondo both attacking and occupying Moro settlements and territories. After Brunei's loss, Mindanao was partitioned; Sambuangan and the Sulu islands were annexed and directly-administered under Tondo as military-controlled territory, while the rest were incorporated into Spain and subjected into encomienda. However, missionary efforts to convert Tondo under Catholicism disturbed the aristocracy, with successive efforts to restrain and later fully expel them (with an institutionalized ban on Catholicism) quickly turning once cordial relations, sour. Bitter relations with the Spanish and other foreign players (mainly pirates including wokou), forced Tondo to assert its territorial legitimacy and exercise its naval prowess. In 1574, following the Red Sea Incident initiated by Limahong, the Second Castilian War occurred, which ended in a failure and the ratifiation of the Treaty of Jolo. A compromise was mutually-agreed upon; the port of Davao, which was already intensively-developed and had a large Catholic population, was kept as a leased port (under Tondoese suzerainty, yet administered by the Spanish). Meanwhile, Catholic missionary activity was restricted to a quota of only a hundred missionaries operating at any given time. This did little to affect the Trans-Pacific Trade and the Columbian Exchange, though the Spanish reoriented their focus on Taiwan. Between 1592 and 1597, Tondo aided Ming and Korean forces in the Imjin War, and was permitted to attack Japanese colonies in Kalayan and initiate a crackdown on wokou pirates controlling Kaboloan, both of which were incorporated into Tondo; the first as multiple subordinate barangay, and the latter as directly-controlled territory). During this period, several Japanese practices such as teeth blackening (which was practiced by the elite) and the emerge of a tea culture managed to be adopted into Tondoese culture, via the influence of its Pangasinese and Japanese practitioners. In addition, several "turtle-ships" were covertly-taken from Korea, and were reverse-manufactured and added into the navy. Fragmentation During the Manchu Conquest of China, Tondo's relationship with China began to weaken, eventually culminating to the abolishment of tributary relations. This loss of trade revenue coincided with the withdrawal of Spanish silver, which proved problematic; as most of the economy was underpinned with silver. Gold mining was an unattractive option, while there was an abundance of gold deposits, it was difficult to transport gold from the highlands to the developed lowlands en-masse. As a result, many commercial transactions resorted to the usage of barter trade, with only the highest value transactions being metal-based (utiizing older currencies as golden bracelets and ingots, rather than silver coinage, which became highly valuable). Due to multiple peasant riots, tax burdens were lessened, and payment through other mediums such as rice was permitted. While the Tondoese government was not entirely bankrupt and was functional (albeit weakened), the shortage still restricted its ability to undertake large-scale projects and campaigns, and made it prone to foreign interference and intrusions, as shown by various wokou raids into coastal settlements. The arrival of Ming royalists fleeing China en-masse, mainly between 1644 to 1659 (with a few arriving via the Kingdom of Tungning, based in former Spanish Taiwan) further contributed to the growing socio-political stability. There was a huge gender imbalance among these immigrants, contributing to rising crime and miscegenation, with the Chinese traditions of patrilocality and patrilineality conflicting with traditional practices of matrilocality and bilineality. Many of these immigrants were disproportionately wealthy and began to compete local competitors in fields including commerce, medicine, and even politics, resisting and mainly-rejecting assimilationist efforts (though they adopted the Tagalog language) and instead formed enclaves and ghettoes. Furthermore, the introduction of diseases (mainly of intestinal-nature such as diarrhoea, and a few such as smallpox) in which more inland populations have little biological resistance, coupled with poor hygiene and sanitation led to outbreaks leading to the depopulation and abandonment of several settlements, which later became widely attributed by false notions of deliberate biological warfare. By the mid-seventeenth century, the Chinese population reached critical mass, comprising a sixth of the total population according to census records, with considerable regional variation; urban areas were as much as half Chinese. Foreign rule The myriad of problems Tondo faced sufficiently-weakened it to allow Koxinga to successfully conquer it in 1662, and turn it into a tributary state of the Kingdom of Tungning, in order to fund efforts to retake the mainland. The Lakandula while retaining their titles, began to exercise little actual political power. Warring States period Early Li period Consolidation of royal rule During the early years of the Li dynasty, the first monarch, Li Young sought to legitimize and consolidate royal power, purging mihariga lords and establishing a highly centralized court system. He abandoned the title of wang (王; "King"), and instead adopted the title of chi (蒂; "Emperor") which nominally upheld his status to the equivalent to the Chinese Emperor. He also changed the country's name to Dai Han (大汉), which meant "Great Han". He also abolished the tradition of in 1706, and instead chose bureaucratic positions via imperial appointment. While this allowed him to secure a base of support within the imperial court and to restrict the amount of dissidents within the government, this also prompted numerous cases of corruption and incompetence. Li Young had also created a , and a based on wooden tags to effectively collect taxes and monitor the movement of people. However, in 1717, Li Young had fell ill to malaria. With his death seemingly preeminent, he was coerced into picking a early by his wife. He picked his third and youngest child, Princess Li Rin, a selection which was strikingly controversial as she was a female (typically male heirs are prioritized, and she had two elderly brothers). Furthermore, she was not even within the age of maturity, just being merely seventeen at the time she was chosen. A result, many had (wrongfully) assumed she was incompetent and ill-fitted to rule. Initially, the court was forced to comply or face with the prospect of being purged. However, as Li Young succumbed to his disease and Li Rin was coronated as the Empress shortly after, the court became vocal about their concerns and rejected her authority. Two opposing sides were drawn; those who had sided with Li Rin, and the opposition that wished to instate Prince Li Wei (the eldest of the former monarch's children) as the Emperor. Surprisingly, many of his supporters were high-ranking officials that had been favoured by the former Emperor. Seeing the of her court as a threat to her power, she initiated the "Second Literati Purges", where she ordered the systematic execution of the oppositional faction and their proponents under charges of . This decree galvanized the oppositional faction, forcing them to act preemptively. Li Wei brought a thousand-man army comprised of peasants (mostly volunteers accepting bribes) on the gates of the imperial residences in attempt to force the Empress to step down from her position. Placing a body-double temporarily and in-charge, she and supportive court members fled the palace and travelled to southern Li Han. She came back after a week, discovering that her palace has been ransacked and her body-double had been exposed and subsequently killed. Exploiting her absence and the resultant , Li Wei had placed himself on throne. She eventually poisoned him posing as one of his royal consorts. Reign of Li Rin :See also: Li Rin Once regaining her throne, Li Rin implemented laws that meant to cement the royal legitimacy of the House of Li. While she reluctantly reestablished a rather strained with the Qing, she refuted the their position as the legal successor of the Ming, as much as to revise family records to support her claim. She also adopted the , and briefly claimed sovereignty over China. Noticing how her aristocratic subjects had polarized after her father's death, she switched to a policy of maintaining support among the commoners. labour was outlawed and instead replaced it with a head tax system used to hire labourers. As a result, the serf caste was abolished, with serfs subsequently emancipated into the peasantry. As part of the land reform, former serfs were given parcels of land. In 1720, she and her scholar court formulated and enforced an that coerced minorities to submit under Han culture. A law was passed that pointed out that only those of Han ancestry were eligible to be appointed bureaucratic positions. She also declared the Hanyang dialect of the Han language as the (over which had been previously standardized by chuugwourin diaspora), an edict facilitiated by the promulgation of Hanji (which had been banned previously) and the first grammatical conventions. However, her early rule was marked by financial strain. Initially, she maintained the isolationist policy and instead seized properties to fill the depleting national treasury. After attempting to rely on copper coinage and low-value , she instead was forced to forge cordial trading relations with European trading powers, mainly its erstwhile adversary Spain. After negotiations, the port of Shinan was declared a between the two. Reinvigorated foreign trade remonetized what was previously a stagnant economy, and the medium of transactions shifted to silver coinage. However, foreign trade had only boomed until the Qing enacted the in 1756, which restricted all maritime trade affairs to Guangdong. The Li, being a tributary, was exempted and was given preferential trade status. As a result, Li Rin capitalized on this and sold lucrative goods (such as tea, silk, manufactures and porcelain) at lower prices than what was offered in China. Being an , this resulted in a wide in-favour of the Li, as a result, the national treasury had reported a wealth and excess in silver bullion. Vigorous trade had also permitted the spread of , with maize, chili peppers, and corn being introduced cultivate en-masse in large communal plots of land. While the enlarged role of commercial market and merchant guilds (which had began to acquire political influence) troubled the court, the heterodoxy popularized by Li Rin had introduced an accommodating attitude which was crucial in deterring a reemergence in isolationism. In 1768, at the age of sixty-eight and after fifty years of holding the title as Empress, Li Rin choose to abdicate from the throne in anticipation of her death. The eldest child out of her four children, and the designated , Li Chang, was coronated as the . As he was still at the tender age of fifteen, Li Rin took the role as . However, she continued to exert large influence over the state-council and national policies, thus maintaining rule. Reign of Li Chang and Li Dang The reign of Li Chang saw the continuation of the success under Li Rin. Later Li period Political strife ''Sarado'' policy Unequal treaties with Europe Li Han Rebellion Huang reforms Han–Sierran War In 1898, Emperor Li Huang, who headed the progressive faction of the imperial court, passed away. As a result, Empress consort Mei Ling became the , receiving administrative powers in-place of their seven-year old son. As she was a major proponent of the conservative faction, she ceased modernization programs and expelled foreign influence from Hani; reestablishing the policies of the past while nullifying several key with foreign powers, but in-practice they remained in-place. Seeking rapprochement with its erstwhile , Sierra sent emissaries to Hanyang to sort out relations. Having trespassed and ignored the new isolationist policy, the Empress executed the emissaries alongside a thousand martyred Christian converts, some of which are foreign missionaries. This received international condemnation, and thus, Hani faced numerous trade that crippled its export-based economy. The few journalists that had documented the atrocities also helped fuelled anti–Han sentiment among the Sierran public, and helped the Sierran government review its approach with the increasingly hostile . Sierra eventually listened to public pressure, launching an invasion which came to be known as the five-year long Han–Sierran War. Regent Mei Ling used the war effort as an excuse to purge the imperial court of political dissidents; mainly members of the progressive faction. Initially maintaining a firm , over time, Sierran forces managed to seize important ports. Whilst Hani experienced a substantial degree of industrialization, it still lacked the ability to mass-produce weaponries, and instead was coerced to rely on its trading powers for weaponries. Furthermore, the national treasury became drained of bullion reserves to peg its floating currency, which experienced chronic hyperinflation and forcing the government into effective bankruptcy. However, the Great Han core, had not faced any incursions until the final two years of the campaign. In 1905, the regent Mei Ling committed suicide alongside two other prominent leaders General Fu Jin and General Cheng Wan, after failing to preserve Hanyang. As a result, twelve-year old Li Min ascended to the throne with full administrative powers. The collapse of the bureaucratic institutions, coupled with the delegitmization of royal power, triggered the mass-scale capitulation and defection among the Han army. Li Min's uncle temporarily assumed title as regent; signing his abdication papers and under the Emperor's approval signing the Han Treaty of Capitulation, concluding the conflict. Sierran colonial period In 1905, following the lengthy Han–Sierran War, Sierra successfully annexed Hani under the Han Treaty of Capitulation. However, the legality of the treaty had been disputed, with many Han bureaucrats treating it as invalid as the monarch (the recently deceased Empress Dowager Mei Ling) did not apply the royal seal. One of the first reforms was the abolishment of the caste system, which triggered the outflow of Han bureaucrats to Japan and China. This allowed the Sierran colonial authorities to easily seize power. Furthermore, the taxation system was heavily revamped, with large tracts of land being stolen from former bureaucrats and with tenant farmers being evicted. Apart from the introduction of initial reforms, the first stage of the Sierran colonial period was focused on the integration of the House of Li. Albeit with vastly reduced powers, they were kept as the . However, members of the house were placed under house-arrest in the Naragi palace in Hanyang, and had to receive formal permission to exit the premises. In addition, the members were often separated and barred from being placed within the same room apart from special occasions and the shooting of Sierran political films. In 1909, four years into colonial rule, the colonial government launched an attempt to fuse the Han royalty as a subordinate of the Sierran House of Columbia. These intermarriages were widely publicized, but those who had resisted the offer were forcefully ripped of their titles. Many royals thus reluctantly married at a young age, and practiced strict to preserve the purity of the royal bloodline. In 1914, the selected heir apparent, Crown Princess Li Qin, announced her marriage to a Sierran royal. This sparked wide criticism, but domestically and within Sierra. Many also accused of the marriage of being an orchestrated imperialist plot to terminate the royal lineage, as documents were leaked of his infertility. This triggered the independence rallies and strikes, culminating in the largely peaceful April 7th Movement in 1915. In face of the protests, the Sierran government forcefully ousted them out of the Imperial Palace; which was then symbolically burnt to ashes and replaced with a garden commemorating Sierran history. Many of the activists were jailed and tortured, with thousands publicly hanged. The House of Li subsequently found refuge in China and Japan where they were granted special status. In Japan, many members adopted Japanese citizenship and even were absorbed into their imperial family. Shanghai, which was host to a large Han diaspora, became a base of many Han independence activists Roaring Twenties During the , Sierra had utilized bases in Hani to seize and occupy German colonial holdings in the Pacific, and therefor increasing control over the Pacific. As part of the , the were transferred from Germany to Sierra, administered as a part of Sierran East Indies. The Sierran colonial administration began to shift from free market plantation economy, to a centrally-planned industrial economy (establishing institutional basis of the current economic system). This change marked a period of intense due to postponed spending, and the previous munitions and armaments facilities being retooled to the mass-production of consumer goods, which instilled a culture of among those who can afford such luxuries. There was also a boom in infrastructural development, with electricity and various telecommunication systems (such as the telegraph, telephone) being implemented en-masse. The following period, known as the , saw the cementation of the Sierran Cultural Revolution (which turned Sierra from a monolithic to a fusionist culture), which has reached as many educated Hans emigrated to Sierra. However, this cultural exchange was mutual, with Sierrans introducing and popularizing the ideals of and through mass media. and became very popular, facilitated by the erosion of traditional Confucianist beliefs. Due to the notion of human sexuality being liberalized, more revealing Western-style clothing was adopted by the elite and the middle-class, with the being especially-popular. Cosmetics, which were previously discouraged due to their association with prostitution, became socially-acceptable. Many of the rich indulged in luxuries, such as alcohol and spa treatments. The official use of Han (instead of the ) was legalized, as the usage of Sierran Hanzi to transcribe Sierran English became prevalent. However, Sierran English still remained the , whilst the usage of was heavily discouraged. Despite this, due to the increase in literacy and the relaxation of laws (most notably the repeal of ), the printing industry flourished, with the genre of prose fiction particularly receiving much popularity. was made compulsory, and an edict requiring all adults to be literate was implemented, raising the literacy rate from just 28.33% (in 1920) to 76.25% (five years later, in 1925), with near-universal literacy (>95%) being achieved in 1933. From 1927, up until 1935, while the Sierran East Indies continued to maintain its status as a , for the first time ever, all Hans were granted and Sierran citizenship (with the previous quota on immigration, which was already largely unenforced, being fully-repealed). Hans were allowed to vote among a specific pool of preliminary candidates (determined by the federal government) to serve their colonial government coinciding with the Sierran elections, however, they were additionally granted the ability to vote for Sierran politicians (but not directly-participating in them unless they are Sierran residents). The Peace Preservation Law was also unanimously approved by the Sierran legislature, and was enacted specifically to target political groups that were counted as radical or detrimental to national security; it not only prescribed overtly harsh penalties on dissidents, but also justified the usage of brutality on them. Great Depression World War II Cold War Han Civil War Initial isolationism Following the Han Civil War, the government of Hani was virtually bankrupt, with its Western allies under scrutiny for being unable to bail the government and avert economic fallout. This was worsened by the concurrent Korean War (in which Hani reluctantly participated in), which forced the relocation of the few foreign funds originally allocated to economic recovery to the production of armaments and weaponry for the war effort. The controversy sparked by this and related issues (such as the activation of national conscription) led to the formation of an Ameroskeptic and rather hostile intellectual climate, with the Jin administration being heavily criticized and alienated as overtly pro-West. The death of Head Chairman Jin Li in 1953 (at the age of 73), prompted the establishment of a short-lived provisional council comprised of fourteen politicians. However it was overthrown and abolished by former First Deputy Miao Yang just sixty-days following its creation. His first year oversaw the establishment of martial law and the suspension of habeas corpus, enabling him to jail and executive political opponents, including several of his colleagues. Initially, Hani sought to limit foreign influence by reimplementing a policy of strict non-intervenionism and semi-isolationism, joining the Non-Aligned Movement. It drafted an economic policy of autarkey-oriented import substitution-led industrialization, adopting a more interventionist approach. To strengthen its independence and legitimacy, it militarized and normalized relations with several communist nations; most notably the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, being among the first of the non-communist nations to recognize the latter's independence and validity. However, it still maintained bilaterial relations with Hainan and recognized it as a separate entity. As population growth began to outstrip growth in agricultural productivity (which was stagnant), Hani became a net importer of grains, and established various trading agreements with both China and the Soviet Union establishing tax exemptions on the trade of agricultural products. Despite the rather lax stance against the communists on the international scene, Hani continued to enact various anti-leftist legislation and persecute those with such beliefs, with classical liberals and other associated political groups included. In the response to Han emigration, emigration and immigration laws were tightened, barring anyone (save for a few exceptions) from entering the country nor flee it. Heavy Industrial Drive Rapprochement with the West The Kafushin Revolution (otherwise known as the Yang Wood Dragon Revolution), led by Head General Tchiang Shiokueng abolished the increasingly plutocratic administration. Convinced that the poor socio-economic conditions resulting from inadequate and underfunded reconstruction programs would cause the country to lapse into communism, Tchiang Shiokueng dissolved the powerless National Assembly and the position of President; instead re-instating the then-exiled House of Li and its monarch as the head of state. Hani under the new military junta declared anti-communism would lay the basis of the new foreign policy, severing ties with the Soviet Bloc and China, joining the Conference of American States (CAS) and ( ) as a special observer state, while joining the Trans-Pacific Allied Community (TPAC) as a full-fledged member state. Hani tried to reestablish and normalize bilateral relations with Sierra, ratifying the Treaty on Basic Relations in-exchange for reparations for atrocities and damage inflicted during the colonial era (including forced labour and the seizure of property without consent); a sum of approximately $2.4 billion (in 1964 dollars), or approximately $18.58 billion in modern monetary value. Asides from financial compensation, Sierra promise to grant free college tuition to scholars for the next six years. Economic development The administration constructed a market economy based upon the practices of . Hani utilized the abundance of cheap yet abundant labour as the catalyst for economic development; which were laid out through various economic plans prioritizing the development of . In addition, it was rich in human capital, already holding a relatively high educational attainment, especially for the region and compared to countries espousing a similar level of socio-economic development. Hani for example, displayed and a majority literate population. Financial capital was considered also a pre-requisite for such rapid and ambitious development, so the regime graciously allowed direct-foreign investment and eagerly accepted the influx of financial aid. Furthermore, a select group of businesses engaged primarily in heavy industries were selected by the government. These businesses were granted low-interest loans and numerous tax benefits from the banking sector (monopolized and nationalized by the state-owned Han Central Bank), and under government supervision and guidance grew into large international business conglomerates known as Qianzu, which were mainly family-owned and privatized. As a result, the Second Economic Plan yielded favourable results, consistently breaching goals in spite of allegations of deliberate inflation of the results. The industrial sector rose rapidly, aided by the massive demand for labour-intensive manufactured goods in Western and Japanese markets. Workers began to congregate in urban areas (particularly the emerging Hanyang megacity) where the majority of industrial facilities and employment opportunities were situated in, causing a massive within rural communities. In order to facilitiate the modernization campaign, the work ethic was instilled, with many workers serving long working hours as a result. To maximize labour participation, women were encouraged to work as well, which coincided with the two-child policy and the breakdown of traditional family roles. These and other efforts promoting the full usage of idle resources maximized gross economic output. Political turmoil However, despite rapid economic development and stringent attempts to restrict and censor leftist material, pro-socialist movements began growing in popularity by the early seventies, becoming a minuscule but vocal minority. This was in response to growing social and regional wealth disparities, as the agrarian southern provinces often lagged in development and failed to achieve comparable gains made by the northern provinces. The Han government's legitimacy was also challenged by its deep involvement in the ; as it viewed this as an opportunity to prove loyalty to Sierrans skeptic of Han cooperation, and to justify an increasingly foreign policy, many also viewed it unnecessary to intervene in Indochinese affairs especially when Hani itself has just finished reeling itself from its own civil war. In response to mounting public scrutiny, the majority of active Han forces serving in Vietnam withdrew in 1973, a move mirroring the policy of pioneered by Anglo–America. In face of the newly-pursued , Hani was encouraged to soften its image to China, eventually re-normalizing bilateral relations, and establishing a consulate (then a full-fledged embassy) situated in Fuzhou. As part of the agreement, Hani supported their ascension to the League of Nations as a of the (a position previously held by Hainan). In 1972, the Nationalist Partisan Convention occurred, which sought to strip laws regarding term length (at the time, it was set at a maximum of one decade-long term), and grant the Prime Minister unchecked power, with bills and amendments being reviewed and passed at whim by the Cabinet; rendering the Imperial Diet irrelevant and powerless. This proved at odds at the oppositional faction, with the Li Han Mutiny prompting the government to suspend the constitution and habeas corpus, and the implementation of martial law, to enable him to effectively purge the legislature of opposition. Politicians found to be against the regime are often detained, eventually sentenced to exile with their extended families (often to Sierra). In extreme cases, they were assassinated by hired hitmen or fanatic supporters of the regime. Public surveillance, and other efforts to monitor the movement of people, such as compulsory identification tags, were also implemented. As Hani supported Palestinian self-determination, and supported a compromise between Palestine and Israel, as well as not participating in the War, the ( ) decided not to blockade Hani. However, the revealed the flaws of such an export-oriented economic model, as the Han economy began to falter after contracting from its Western markets (which suffered coinciding recession and inflation, later called ). Despite this, growth persisted and accelerated under tolitarian rule. In order to maintain such stellar growth, more interest-free loans and credit were handed out; which resulted in the rise in bad debt and non-performing loans, which were often covertly bailed out by the government. Establishment of '87 constitution Post-reunification period Geography Hani is an comprised of numerous islands. It is bordered by the to the north, the (East Han Sea) to the east, the (West Han Sea) to the west, and the to the south. The island of is located a few hundred miles southwest while is located directly to the northwest. The and are located to the south-southwest. The Han home island islands, otherwise known of (comprised of three island groups; , , and ), has a total of 7,107 islands with a total area of 300,000 km2 (115,831 sq. mi). The highest point in Hani is ; located on the island of , it measures up to 3,952 meters (12,966 feet) above sea level. In contrast, in the is the deepest point in Hani and is the third deepest point in the world with a depth of more than 10,540 metres (34,580 feet). The trench is located in the Han sea. The longest river is the which is located in the . Its basin measures at a 27,280 km2 (10,533 sq. mi) while having a total length of 505 km2 (314 sq. mi). , which is next to the capital city of , is connected to its largest lake, , via the . Hani is situated on the Western fringes of the , and as a result, Hani experiences common seismic and volcanic activity, with up to twenty earthquakes registered daily. Fortunately, an overwhelming majority of these earthquakes are too weak to be felt or to pose a threat to the island's safety. Not all geographic features are so violent or destructive, an example of one of the most serene legacies of the geologic disturbances is the , which is one of the new . The surrounding area is a major target of conservation efforts, as it is one of the few largely untouched places in Hani, and contains a full mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem and a high endemism rate. Being located in the tropics, most of the islands, with the notable exemption of (which is dominated by flatlands and urban agglomerations), are covered in thick tropical rainforest and are mainly volcanic in origin. As a result of its volcanic nature, Hani has the second-largest gold deposits globally, one of the largest copper deposits, but is also rich in nickel, chromite, and zinc. Hani is the world's largest , providing roughly a fourth (approximately twenty-four percent) of the country's electricity demand. Climate Hani has a tropical maritime climate, and is usually hot and humid. Temperatures usually range from 21ºc (70ºf) to 32ºc (90ºf) although it can get cooler or hotter depending on the season. The coolest month is January; the warmest is May. Altitude typically is the most significant factor in regional variations in temperature, rather than location in terms of latitude or longitude. For example, the average yearly temperature in Kafugwai, which is at an elevation of around 1,5000 metres (4,900 feet) above sea level is 18.3ºc (64.9ºf). In contrast, the average yearly temperature at sea level is about 26.6ºc (79.9ºf). Situated directly upon the typhoon belt, the archipelago receives yearly torrential rains and thunderstorms during the wet season, which lasts from July to October. An average of nineteen typhoons enter the Han area of responsibility annually, with about eight or nine making landfall. Annual rainfall measures as much as 5,000 millimeters (200 in) in the mountainous east coast section but less than 1,000 millimeters (39 in) in some of the sheltered valleys. Government and politics Overview and elections Hani is a , while the monarch is the designated , real power rests resides in the Premier, the ; leading not only the Cabinet and the rest of the executive branch, but the Nationalist Party as the Head Chairman. The electoral system is non-democratic and pyramidal, with elections taking place very decade and all participants required to be a member of the Nationalist Party. All provincial and sub-provincial governments are directly-elected through popular vote. However, the higher political posts including the members of legislative (barring the executive and judicial) branches, are indirectly-elected by lower political posts. Finally, the members of the executive and judicial branch are elected by the members of the Imperial Diet. While the standard term length is ten years, there is no term limit, with all politicians applicable for term renewal. The legislative body is the Imperial Diet, consisting of two chambers: the upper House of Peers (with seventy seats, five seats allocated per province) and the lower House of Representatives (with three-hundred seats). The judicial is headed by the Supreme Court. While it is the highest court in the country, it only has appellate jurisdiction over appeals cases relating to general and criminal law. The Constitutional Court has original jurisdiction surrounding any cases that involve constitutionality, having also additional powers on deciding cases regarding administrative legislation. Han Nationalist Party Monarchy The royal house of Hani is the House of Li, with membership passed through both and lines. Via the terms of the constitution, the monarch is limited to a figurehead, though is granted associated with the ; including the symbolic right to declare war, participate in the negotiation and ratification of treaties, issue passports, the act of assent, issuance of edicts, and to create or dissolve government offices (under the discretion of the legislative and executive branches). Administrative divisions Hani is divided into fourteen provinces, which are in turn divided into prefectures, circuits, component and independent municipalities; which are all further divided into sub-entities including counties, districts, towns, neighbourhoods, villages, and hamlets. Each province is headed by a Governor, which is obligated to enforce federal law. All the provinces (with the exception of Mushirin) are autonomous and may be dissolved and reorganized by the discretion of the federal government. Han Crown Armed Forces The armed forces of Hani are divided into five distinct branches based on Sierran military organization: the Imperial Army, the Imperial Navy, the Imperial Air Force, the Imperial Marines, and the Imperial Coast Guard, which are all collectively known as the Han Crown Armed Forces (HCAF). While the Premier (also designated the Head Chairman of the Nationalist Party) wields the ceremonial title of Supreme Field Marshal, true authority is vested within the Head General (who functions as the ) and the Council of Officers (comprised of high-ranking military officials) and the Department of Defence and Public Security. As of 2015, the Department of Defence and Public Security has reported that there were approximately 1,600,000 Hans actively serving the military, with an additional 1,200,000 working as civilian employees for the military and associated government bodies. While military service is normally voluntary manner, conscription occurs during times of war. During times of war, all able-bodied men between the ages of 20 and 30 are automatically drafted and added into the waiting list, where they will receive three months worth of training before being deployed into battle. Individuals with health complications, disabilities, and obligations or other factors preventing a citizen from fulfilling their military duty are dropped out from the list (and can receive blacklisting from future drafts. Those who have moral objections may receive other options, such as being a medical personnel or engineer. Hani is thought to wield one of the most powerful militaries, with the Second Cold War and the prompting it to increase its military capabilities (most notably the development of a ; the first of its kind in Asia). Military spending is heavily technology-oriented, with a total budget of $158.34 billion (three percent of the ) as of 2017. Hani is a global leader in the and industries, though military spending has also been centred on manufacturing various armaments including missiles and guns (with domestic suppliers producing ninety percent of military items). While Hani is nuclear-capable, it is under the Sierran Nuclear Umbrella (due to its membership in the Trans-Pacific Allied Community, as well as special observer status within the Conference of American States) and its ratification of the . Foreign relations It is the founding member of the League of Nations and is its most influential Southeast Asian member, even applying for . Hani is also active in other organisations, representing the interests of the Han people. It has membership in, but not limited to, the , the , the , the Trans-Pacific Allied Community, the , and holds observer status within the Conference of American States. Most embassies and diplomatic missions are in Hanyang and the areas surrounding it, though consulates are dispersed among Hani's major cities. Hani also has military and defense pacts with nations, mostly with members of the Trans-Pacific Allied Community, though it, until the turn of the twenty-first century, has been largely in global military affairs. Even now, instead of participating directly in conflicts as a different side, it just sends aids that act under the wing of a separate polity. Economy ; Hani's capital and most populous city.]]Hani is designated as a highly , graduating from its status as a in the eighties. It has a strong , though it is prone to damage due to a recent strain in West–Han relations and regional instability. According to estimates from the , Hani's economy at stood at roughly $7.246 trillion whilst its economy at stood at $5.278 trillion. This would make it ranked third and fourth globally according to which method is chosen. It is the largest economy within Southeast Asia, and the second-largest in Asia. A major economic power, it is a member of many economic organisations, including , , the ( ), ( ), and the the ( ). Hani's economy is driven by the production and exportation of high-tech precision goods such as , , , , and , and is the world's second-largest exporter after China. Despite its wide-scale economic involvement in other regions, it is a well-known practicer of , placing high tariffs and has trading quotas on foreign imports to limit competition with domestically produced goods. It also practices some unfair trading practices, including to keep exports cheap. However, this does not stop it from being the fifth-largest importer as its economy relies on lots of , raw materials such as , , and to meet local food demands. Its main trading partners include members of the Conference of American States (mainly Sierra, and the United Commonwealth), , and the . The Han is considered to follow the . It is a economy, with certain central sectors being fully and publicly-owned. The secondary sector is dominated by privately-owned large-scale business conglomerates known as Qianzu, which are similar to the of Korea and the of Japan. Meanwhile, the tertiary sector is dominated by privately small to medium-sized corporations. The nationalized Han Central Bank is the sole legal bank, lowering or raising the national to control and . Economic history and growth From its founding until the in the late fifties, Hanyi operated under a strict that pivoted around the policy of . However, during the sixties, the economic policy shifted to an model, which, coupled with unequal policies promoted the . Two of the most critical and earliest reforms included the dismantlement of , and reorganization of many into privatized family-owned . Initially facing a severe lack of funds, the Han economy began to receive a massive inflow of reparations from Sierra following the normalization of foreign relations, as well as receiving direct-foreign investment from foreign companies. Economic development was organized under five-year economic plans, which emphasized the development of the sector, including the steel, shipbuilding, automobile-manufacturing, and petrochemical industries. To facilitiate economic expansion, banks (which were nationalized and publicly-owned) handed out interest-free loans and cheap credit. It also included the expansion of human capital (especially education), basic infrastructure, and full efficient utilization of all available and idle resources. This led to a prolonged –referred to the Miracle on the Chuu River–which lasted well after the ousting of the repressive military junta. This period oversaw an average of seven percent economic growth, rapidly catapulting Hanyi into the status of a and a major . The severity upon it was hit during revealed structural weaknesses in the Han economy, including the rigidity of central planning and a weak system, as well as signalled a shift to -based growth. These problems manifested on the aftermath of the , while Hanyi avoided economic contraction, it did not escape an economic slump as the rate for economic expansion began to mature and slow amid troubles with a domestic credit troubles coupled with weakening international demand for its exports. Trade Infrastructure Labour .]]Workers' rights are both enshrined and entrenched in the Han Constitution, and as a result, Han labourers enjoy one of the highest-working standards and wages within the region. The Han is set at $7.5 every hour, or $15,000 annually, and with the exception of , receive benefits that include and subsidised for their children. are traditionally long; an excess of more than 2,000 hours annually (or eight hours per work day), with the being from Monday to Friday (with many working in Saturday as overtime). This long working period is a result of the government's attempt to facilitate economic expansion–in light of increased and a decline in the –through heightened , higher employment, and the of non-skilled labour. However, in response to several key problems brought by this long working period, the current administration has established a campaign that aims to lower working hours to 1,200 (a decrease by a third) hours a day within a 10-year transitionary period. Many problems stem from the long working hours, including reported incidences of in which workers were pushed to suicide or heart attacks/strokes brought by stress, an issue also prevalent in nearby Korea, , and South Vietnam. It is also largely responsible for the country's fairly low (but rapidly rising) fertility rate, prompting the government to introduce efforts to facilitate child rearing by subsidizing child care services. Currency The Han Qian ( : 錢 or ¢; : HNC) is the of Hani. It is divided into zen by a ratio of 1/100, and further divided into mun by a ratio of 1/1,000. The qian is largely issued in the form of banknotes, with coins becoming increasingly obsolete due to their low value coupled with rising consumer prices. A result of Hanyi's miraculous economic expansion, the qian has emerged as the world's third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the ($) and the (€). A low and value has led to its candidacy as a potential global and is currently going further in case either dollar or the euro crashes. Demographics Population (pictured above)]] In 2012, the Han National Census Bureau has officially-counted a total of 149,075,917 residents, rising marginally to an estimated 151,121,525 residents in 2017; both the figures include and . The population is highly centralized on the island of Liusong, which is home to above a hundred million people, with three-quarters (about 78 million) residing within the . The largest ethnicity are the Hans which comprise roughly six-sevenths of the total population. In addition, there are over three million (comprising almost three percent of the total population); the largest enclaves are found in the territories of Palawan, Buhuru, and Little Netherlands, with the rest evenly-dispersed among major cities. However, this is attributed to historical Sierran rather than recent immigration, as restrictive emigration policies have stalled repatriation attempts. Many eventually and became recognized as permanent residents; albeit reduced to the legal status of . Due to the recent laxity and liberalization of immigration laws, there has been an influx of a second wave of migrants, most of which are either or from mainland Asia. and are determined through the policy of (right of blood); under Han law, any person with at least one of Han ancestry, regardless of place of birth and nationality can apply for citizenship. Introduced in the eighties, is typically reserved for foreign-born Hans that have resided within the country for a period of two years or more. Vital statistics In 1500, the archipelago had an estimated population of 8,000,000, half of Japan's (15,400,000) and comparable to that of Germany (10,500,000). Contemporary Hani has approximately almost twenty percent more people than Japan and twice that of Germany; with around 150 million people (almost a nineteen-fold increase) it is ranked globally, ahead of but behind . Hani has chronic issue regarding ; during much of the nineteenth century, it hovered between three to four births per woman. Even during the of the fifties, the fertility rate average was lower than the global average of five at the time. However, even this was higher than the , which, coupled with low death rates, yielded high population growth during the nineteenth and early twentieeth centuries. During the early sixties, the population growth rate was very favourable, at over two per cent per annum. However, as occurred, the situation reversed. During the fifties, the fertility rate was 5.15 births per woman, in 2010, it reached a mere 0.90 births per woman–the lowest recorded of any major country. Fortunately policies has raised the to 1.68 births per woman by 2017; lower than the French but higher than either the Japanese or the Germans. The current growth rate is roughly 0.7 percent per annum, but is predicted to start to stabilize by the mid-2030s. The low birth rate and a high life expectancy (an average of 82.5 years in 2016) has also contributed to rapid , with the average age of a Han being forty years. About a tenth of Hans are elderly (being older than 65 years), but the proportion could rise to near 40 per cent by 2050. Hani has a high rate of (people 100 years old or older), with 47 centenarians per 100,000 people. Language The Han language is the and the of Hani. Virtually all Hans have the ability to speak the said language (or its derivative varieties) and to write in the Hanji script with a high degree of fluency. Another twenty percent speak another . The official global regulatory body of the Han language is the , which governs the proper usage of the Han language. is the second most prominent language as words of English origin are often incorporated into signs and media. While it is mandatory in secondary and postsecondary education, and most Hans have attained basic skills in English, its public usage is rather minimal. Other languages spoken within Hani are , , , , but these are largely restricted to ethnic groups of their origin. Religious affiliation , in-favour of Christianity]] According to its constitution, Hani is a with no officially-recognized ; instead it actively supports the and guarantees the of . The state legislature, the National Diet, is prohibited to pass any legislations regulating or promoting religious practices. are the majority, comprising almost three-fourths (approximately seventy percent) of the population; it is a and pivots around a set of philosophical and ethical teachings developed by the philosopher . It is and , and its beliefs are based upon the notion that humans are fundamentally benevolent; perfectible through both personal and communal endeavour. is the second-largest faith, comprising seventeen percent of the population or constituting about twenty-five million adherents. While the three major branches–the , , and sects–each have a notable presence, the latter is the most predominant. that have notable followings include and . is the third-largest religion, comprising about eight percent of the total population or constituting about twelve million adherents. is the largest Christian denomination, succeded by the and . is not mainstream, with the , , and the being the three largest Protestant churches. Church attendance rates are relatively high; with about two-thirds of registered Christians attending church on a weekly-basis, and virtually all attending on at least a monthly-basis. is a plurality within the south, comprising about three percent of the total population, translating to about roughly four million adherents. Most Muslims are followers of the branch of the sect. The remaining two percent (or three million) have described themselves as either; , , , and/or . Family structure and law According to the government census, the majority of Hans are either married or (8%)). Two percent were , 6% are , and the remaining 7% are currently not engaged in any sort of long-term relationship. Family structure revolves around the deeply-rooted concept of a , and is treated as the second-most important societal unit after the collective community. Hani is traditionally a society, and households are jointly-led by a and . In the past, clans lived within the same proximity of each other, and the residents of each house represented up to four generations. However, has led to the growing irrelevance of clan relations, and the incidence of smaller families. While same-sex relationships have been documented since medieval times, and is not shunned upon, marriage is still traditionally regarded as a union between a man and a woman, though the notion has been recently challenged by same-sex couples. However, are recognized. Marriages revolving around , including (though relations between are permitted in special cases, if they had not prior to their relationship), is strictly forbidden. is similarly outlawed and strictly-enforced laws regarding adultery and extramarital sexual affairs are in-place. All of these are classified as by federal law, with felons receiving up to for breaking these offences. Culture Hani is , and thereby considered part of the . Historically, a multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multilingual region, a series of staunchly-enforced policies has led to a vastly heightened level of cultural uniformity. As a result of resistance to (and introduced or perceived immoral beliefs) and to counterbalance or , there is a rooted perception of a and , which rejects notions of and , and strives for the stringent compliance to standard societal norms and expectations. Han culture is often analyzed as staunchly (thus espousing a considerable degree of ), , and . The bulk of its beliefs stem heavily from , specifically the branch, a more secular form shedding spiritualistic elements adopted from and . The ideology itself is based upon the notion that humans are inherently perfectible, with perfection being attainable through self-imposed or communal determination. Three main principles provide the underlying basis of Han culture. Firstly, the adherence to a strict moralistic and ethical code based on five revered virtues (collectively known as the Five Constants); , , , and . Secondly, promotion of societal order via the establishment of a explicitly-defined . And lastly, the emphasization of the four bonds (ruler to ruled, friend to friend, parent to child, and eldest to youngest). In addition to the mainstream culture of Hani, there are various distinct subcultures, with the most prominent being the culture of Palawan, a specially-administered region which until recently, been a Sierran colony. Palawan culture is noticeably more heavily liberalized and cosmopolitan, as a result of with immigrants of other races and ethnicities. Mass media Television and radio Han mainstream media is dominated by three major broadcasting companies: the state-owned National Broadcasting Service (NBS), and the privatized Hanyang Arts Corporation (HAC) and Hibiscus Network Company (HNC). Around 120 million Hans are subscribed to a , , or other forms of television broadcasting. On average, a Han spends about two hours a day watching television programs (excluding time spent on computers, tablets, or other mobile devices). The number of hours is significantly higher among younger age cohorts, reaching as high as four hours among the 13–18 age group. Conversely, while the average Han only spends thirty minutes listening to , Hans use music-streaming services quite often with usage among younger Han reaching six hours. Important genres of television include; and , , , and and . have become quite popular in recent years as well, and the models sometimes put on entertaining acts during product pitches. There is frequent , and many foreign programs (notably Sierran television and ) are banned to air on public television, with those permitted often designated to occupy late time-slots. Print Internet usage Hani is a renowned world leader in internet connectivity and penetration, having the world's at twenty . It is the second country to achieve over fifty-percent broadband penetration per capita, and also to complete full conversion from to . Since its launch, Hani has consistently ranked within the top five for the . A poll conducted in 2014 showed that Hans spent approximately four hours online, additionally, according to a 2007 study, over ninety percent of Hans, or about 135 million people, utilize the internet on at least a weekly-basis. The top level domain (cctld) for Hani is .hn, with the most popular websites in Hani (excluding and ) in 2013 being the social media sites Whistler and Sumi, alongside the video-streaming site Viewer. Mainstream Western sites including and are seldom used, as much of their contents are either blocked (especially those critical of the regime) or unable to attract public attention. Cinema Music Until the eighties, conservative and dominated the music scene. However, the relaxation of restrictions implemented upon cultural imports resulted in the emergence of contemporary Han popular music (otherwise known as H-pop). The nascent genre was heavily influenced by , , (including other derivative forms of ), , and . It is characterized by an abundance of audiovisual elements, performers and artists are typically part of a same-sex group (boy or girl bands) rather than being solo artists or duos. The major music-recording companies in Hani are (listed in amount of revenue): Hanyang Entertainment (HYE), Southern Star Entertainment (SSE), and Chutsu Entertainment (CTE). Most music artists typically debut at a young age (ranging between sixteen to twenty-one), and undergo at least two years of vigorous training alongside their normal daily schedule. Cosmetics and beauty standards Han beauty standards are a distinctive part of Han culture, with Hanyi having the highest rate of cosmetic surgeries per capita. About a fifth of women aged 21–49 has had cosmetic surgery (with the most popular procedures being nose augmentation, jaw reduction, and rib removal), with men only comprising a tenth of clientele. Examples of Han beauty criteria include; a high-bridged nose, a small soft v-shaped face, double eyelids, and pale clear skin. Most of these features are thought to exemplify innocence and chastity. It is a social norm for both and men to spend a lot on cosmetic products. Popular products include blemish balm creams, colour correction creams, essences, serums, exfoliating scrubs, and facial masks (which are intended to serve a lot of purposes). Many Han beauty products contain ingredients that are not included in Western products; including, tea tree oil, green tea extract, and snail cream. In addition to cosmetic products, beauty is said to be achievable through certain dietary or therapeutic practices, which are largely derived or influence from Chinese traditional medicine or local animist tradition. Literature, philosophy, and the arts Cuisine and dining shinigang.jpg| is a flagship dish, using tamarind to get its signature sour flavour Paocai.jpg| , or pickled vegetables, are frequently eaten as a side-dish Chicken Adobo plate.jpg| involves meat marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic, browned in oil, and simmered in marinade Han cuisine has evolved over several centuries from its humble origins to become highly , incorporating numerous (particularly the regional cuisine found in and ), , and elements that had been adapted to locally-produced ingredients and palate. Seasoning is used heavily to add flavours; for example, garlic is used to enrich the taste and mask the scent of dishes utilizing entrails, while coconut milk and peppers are used in creamy dishes. Spices commonly used are ginger, chili peppers, and powdered black pepper. Other seasonings include soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, salt, sugar, and rice wine. With the exception of coriander and spring onions, which are merely used as , there is little to no usage of . Similar to other Asian countries, rice enjoys status as the staple grain and formulates the basis of a standard Han diet. However, and , which have been introduced as part of the , has emerged as widely-used crops as well. Pork and chicken alongside seafood are the most heavily consumed meats, although Han cuisine readily uses any edible meats; including entrails, offal, and molluscs. Fruits including mangoes, bananas, avocados, and dragonfruit are rarely added into dishes, and instead consumed separately raw, while vegetables are typically boiled or stewed prior to consumption. Dining is traditionally considered an important social activity that reinforces familial relations. are seldom used, and instead dishes are consumed with the use of , or when consuming the liquid contents of soups or stew, a . Main course dishes are typically eaten with a variety of side-dishes, with confectionaries or sweet-drinks concluding meals. may be ingested during meals, with or consumed casually, while is typically reserved for formal settings. Public holidays and celebrations Footnotes |Northeast = • |East = Sierra • |Southeast = • |South = • |Southwest = • • |West = North Vietnam • South Vietnam • |Northwest = • }} Category:Great Han Empire